"It is almost impossible for parents to control their children's consumption" on these platforms, which are designed to make them "deliberately dependent", said Vice-Chancellor Andreas Babler.

"It is almost impossible for parents to control their children's consumption" on these platforms, which are designed to make them "deliberately dependent", said Vice-Chancellor Andreas Babler.

Austria plans to restrict under-14s from using social media platforms over concerns about addictive algorithms and harmful content. The government says draft legislation should be ready by the end of June, though details around enforcement and age verification have yet to be finalized. The BBC repor...

Austria has announced it will soon ban social media for children up to the age of 14, saying it spawned addiction, glorified violence, spread misinformation and set unrealistic beauty standards.

Government plans national proposal by June, saying an EU-wide effort will take longer.

Austria's governing coalition on Friday announced plans to ban social media use for children under 14, joining a string of other countries in drawing up restrictions for young people.